Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-08-18
UNDER FALLING WALLS.

Three Brave st. Louis Firemen Crushed to
Death by Falling WaIs-Several Others
Badly Injured-The Victims and Their
Records.
ST. LOUIS, Aug. 10.-The most terrible
catastrophe that has befallen the fire de-
partment in its history occurred this morn
ing about nine O'Clock. The walls of the
ruins of Bishop & Spears peanut ware
house, No. $40 and 512 North Second street,
fell at that hour and carried with them a
portion of j. Alkire g. Co.'s Wholesale gro
Gerry house, Nos. 514 and SIG. In the ruins
were buried a number of firemen, two of
whom were taken out dead. Another is
buried beneath the debris and beyond all
probability dead. A spectator is dying at
the City Hospital and several frsmen are
at their homes or at the engine-houses suf-
fering from severe injuries.
The fire, which began about forty
minutes after one o'clock this morn.
ming, left the peanut warehouse a
mass of ruins. About daylight the fire
was got under control, and the heaviest
part of the force was taken off the ruins.
The No. truck was about the only de-
tachment left at the scene. Ropes had
been stretched in front of the building SO
as to keep the crowd away, and the fire.
men were all alone in their work of dan.
ger and death. A plug stream was being
played on the burning peanuts in the third
floor.
Directing the management of the stream
on the third floor were Barney McKernan
OF No. truck, and acting assistant chief
for Finerty, and Frank Mcdonald, ladder
man of No. truck. The wagon of No. 6
truck was standing right in front of the
peanut warehouse, about half way across
Second street. From the truck was sent
ladder to the third floor. e
Under this lifted ladder. Chris Hoell,
foreman of No. 6 truck, and Jacob Feldt-
man, also of No. 6, were carrying q small
ladder northward toward Alkire's. This
was the position of the firemen Just before
the crash came. AS to the spectators they
were massed across the street blocking the
doorways of Hanley & Kinsella's, No. 515.
The hoarse shouts of McKernan were
heard on the third floor, .and Hoell's orders
on the ground as he dragged the ladder,
when all at once the east and west wall
of Bishop & Spears wavered and crashed.
Then down came the north wall, with
portion of Alkire's south wall, tearing out
AlkiIe's south side right in the middle AS
the middle and north walls came down the
front of the peanut warehouse fell out and
the extra pressure from the side walls
forced the debris out into the street. There
was great cloud of dust and smoke from
the burning peanuts. In the crash the fire.
men went down without cry, so quick
was the collapse. When the first shock
was over it was found that all the firemen
had got off except McKernan and McDon-
aid, Hoell, Feldtman and VIM. thinner
man. In few seconds Mcker-
nan and Mcdonald were taken out
stone dead, the life crushed out of them by
the falling timbers. Nothing could be
seen of Hoell, but Feldtman, his assistant,
was taken out from the ruins on the side
walk with his thigh broken. Zimmerman
was soon found with his left shoulder.
blade broken and his face badly cut.
THE VICTIMS.
Christ Hoen was acting foreman of No.